CIPOLLINI QUITS ROCK RACING

Mario Cipollini and Michael Ball

It was always a tense and difficult relationship, but it seems that Mario Cipollini?s dreams of creating a European-based team for 2009 have ended before they really began after the Italian rider failed to reach a deal with Rock Racing's controversial owner and sponsor Michael Ball.

Cipollini?s return to racing in the Tour of California was a success, but according to Tuesday?s Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper, the Italian has now broken off talks with Ball and has already formally requested the termination of his contract so that he can ride Saturday?s Milan-San Remo with another team.

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